Vaguely Clearly
by brazenbell
Summary: Ilia doesn't remember this boy, this Link. But she remembers the tingles...


She doesn't remember him. Not as a person. Not really. But she remembers the feeling his presence gives her.

This feeling she gets in the back of her neck when he walks through the door of Telma's bar, this tingling that prickles its way down her spine, and she doesn't see him yet but he is there and she _knows_.

She chases after the doctor who refuses to heal the Zora boy and nearly bumps into him, standing so firm and proud by the door, staring at her.

Staring at _her_.

And the tingling spreads to her stomach and hands, but still she doesn't recognize him – she doesn't recognize _anything_ – and so she ignores him.

She doesn't remember. But somehow – she _knows_.

* * *

He guides them to Kakariko Village. But before the journey starts, she musters up all her courage – why is she afraid to speak to this boy?

"Can – can I ask your name?"

He looks at her. "Link."

"…Link."

And for a flash, she remembers. She remembers everything. But there is too much to grasp all at once, and when the memories vanish she is left with nothing at all. And so to make up for it, she chokes out: "I will never forget your kindnesses, Link."

His eyes dart to the ground for a split second, and guilt stabs through her heart, for she has already forgotten him. _Why can't she remember?_

"This boy has the eyes of a beast, honey," Telma says. "We need him now, to keep the real ones at bay. Thank him when we get to Kakariko."

_No_, the girl thinks softly as Link gallops off towards the gate, wielding his sword and his shield and his heart. _I can thank him now_. She thanks him for what he has already done for her, even if she doesn't know what that is.

* * *

He comes to see her after Renado has healed the Zora child. He stands behind her with his worn green clothes and silent blade, and he does not speak.

Link never speaks.

She knows he is there because of the tingling, and she turns to face him, and a faint smile glimmers on his perfect face. Because he feels it too. And he _knows_.

She searches desperately for something to say. "The people here are very kind to me," she manages eventually, and he nods. She tries again. "Thank you… Link."

The smile fades into solemnity. "You're welcome… Ilia."

_He knows her name._

She remembers it now. Ilia. And she wants to thank him again, but she's not quite sure what she's thanking him for.

* * *

He leaves her.

It is only to be expected. There is a kingdom to be saved, and in her heart Ilia knows that Link must be the one to save it. But somehow she had never really made the connection: that in order to save Hyrule, he had to leave her behind.

Renado takes care of her. The little boy Colin stays by her side and even Barnes the bomb-maker goes out of his way to make her laugh. Her days are not unhappy.

But at night she tosses and turns and struggles to remember this boy, this Link, and bit by bit more memories return, memories not of events or places but of emotions and thoughts. She remembers the vague sound of a laugh meant only for her, and a security in being forever protected.

She remembers her heart racing to a beat not its own, and a burning fire against her fingers and lips, and bruises throbbing between her legs.

And through all of this, she remembers his eyes – eyes of sky and sea and rage and hope – feral eyes, the eyes of a beast, and a human one at that.

* * *

He comes back to her.

It takes a month, but he comes back – and the Zoras have been restored, and he has a shiny new sword and dirt in his hair and he positively _glows_ with satisfaction and power.

Ilia gazes at him as he talks to Renado, discussing matters that are too important and consequential for her to care. She wants to run up to him in her bare feet and throw her arms around his neck, but she can't move. Then Renado cocks his head, seeing her, and gestures. Link freezes.

She _tingles_.

He sucks in his breath and turns.

* * *

_her mouth is pressed against his neck, and she is sobbing, and tears (her tears) are streaming down his skin and through his tunic but she doesn't care and neither does he, because_

_he is crying too (she can feel the ache inside his chest) and his hands in her clothes and his breath in her hair and_

_(he is strong but she is stubborn) and_

_(he is willing but she is desperate) and_

_(he will always succeed but she will never ever stop trying) and_

For just this moment, this instant of being held and understood and forgiven by him, she thinks, she _thinks_ she remembers.

And it is not everything.

But it is enough.


End file.
